12 l 10 l 2018
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
Holiday Food Drive Continues through Friday
Perry Bell, center, models the jacket new Master Shipbuilders received as Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin, left, and Jennifer Dunn, vice president of Communications, applaud. Photo by Ashley Cowan
NNS Celebrates Master Shipbuilders Newport News Shipbuilding honored its Master Shipbuilders – employees with 40 or more years of continuous service – during an annual recognition ceremony Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The event paid tribute to NNS’ 1,034 Master Shipbuilders, including the 144 members of the Master Shipbuilder Class of 1978, which reached the milestone this year. Forty six Master Shipbuilders have 50 or more years of service at NNS. “Tonight is your night to sit back, relax and be so very proud of your accomplishments,” NNS President Jennifer Boykin told honorees. “Because – for the last four decades or more – you have walked through the gates of Newport News Shipbuilding on a mission to build our nation’s greatest warships that protect our sailors and defend our freedom. You do it with unwavering precision and care. And you do it with heart.” Dwayne Jones (X36) started his career at NNS 42 years ago and was attending his third...
Newport News Shipbuilding’s “ONE CAN Make a Difference” campaign is collecting non-perishable food items through Friday, Dec. 14, for families in need across the region in support of the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. The foodbank's inventory is currently at a historic low – down 18 percent from the same time last year. The closure of local Farm Fresh supermarkets – which had provided more than 800,000 meals per year – is a major component of the inventory decline. Most-needed items include oatmeal; canned vegetables, fruit, meat and soup; peanut butter; pasta meals and sauces; boxed rice; and 100 percent fruit juices. Collection boxes have been placed throughout NNS. Shipbuilders can also make monetary donations to the food drive by visiting holiday-season.everydayhero.com/us/ newport-news-shipbuilding-one-can-makea-difference. For every dollar donated, the foodbank can provide four meals.
CONTINUED ON PG 6
NNS Names New Vice President Herman Shelanski is Newport News Shipbuilding’s new vice president of Business Development. NNS President Jennifer Boykin announced Shelanski’s appointment on Dec. 3. Shelanski comes to NNS from the U.S. Navy, where he spent more than 38 years managing and leading organizations of increasing complexity and responsibility before retiring at the rank of vice admiral. Visit the Huntington Ingalls Industries website to read the press release announcing Shelanski’s appointment.
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Cleanliness Improves Safety and Efficiency Newport News Shipbuilding’s Bldg. 505 isn’t the shipyard’s newest building by a long shot. But the shipbuilders in and around the facility work hard to keep it clean and organized. “Our warehouse is old, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep it in order. We take pride in what we do and take our responsibilities seriously,” said Stephanie Hargrave (O53). “It’s very important for safety because we deal with corrosives, combustibles and flammable materials.” Shipbuilders’ efforts to implement the 5S+ cleanliness and organization strategy – sorting, storing, shining, standardizing and sustaining – were lauded by the NNS Fire Department after a recent safety inspection. “The aisles are clearly marked with no obstructions. Fire extinguishers are easily accessible and visible. Considering the age and the condition of the building itself, it is by far one of the cleanest I have been in. It is very evident that this is an engaged team that takes pride in their work,” said NNS Fire Department Lt. Michael Taylor. “Not many people understand the importance of maintaining a clean workspace when it comes to fire prevention. This team does.” In addition to safety, Jonathan Temple (O53) said there are other advantages – like schedule adherence – to keeping workspaces clean and
Shipbuilders like those who work in and around Bldg. 505 take pride in keeping their work areas clean and neat. Photo by Matt Hildreth
organized. “It helps us issue the material to the trades on time,” he said. The team’s dedication extends beyond Bldg. 505. Shaun Morrisette (O53) said shipbuilders came together to develop an action plan to clean up the 243W Storage Yard next to Bldg. 505. “We cleaned up the trash and repalletized and reorganized materials. We also etched part numbers on materials outside so we wouldn’t have to worry about them fading. It’s an ongoing process. You have to clean as you go.” Keeping work areas clean also sends a positive message to the Navy during audits, according to Yuvonda Barnes (O53). She said the team is engaged and close knit. “We enjoy working with each other,” Barnes said. “Communication is definitely key. And you have to learn not to take it personal when someone corrects you.”
New Video-Streaming Capabilities Begin Soon Newport News Shipbuilding Technology Services (T54) and Security and Emergency Management (O15) are rolling out new capabilities in support of the NNSFORWARD Strategy.
user (red camera icon on badge) or to enable the camera on a company-owned device, the process will become automated via the RequestIT system.
Beginning Dec. 17, internal unclassified live-video streaming will be available for WebEx and Jabber applications. In their current form, these applications allow text and document sharing. However, the new capabilities will allow authorized computer or conference room cameras to display NNS employees and objects to other NNS computers. This will allow deckplate employees to live-video stream with an engineer or subject-matter expert at their desk. Other benefits include eliminating travel time to meetings and associated parking challenges as well as improved collaboration with remote employees.
Additionally, NNS Security will no longer affix camera seals to company-owned smartphones, tablets and laptops connected to NNS’ network. Instead, digital seals will be electronically deployed to these devices. Employees who have a company-issued cameraenabled device will see a digital NNS Security Compliance seal show up on the device’s lock screen during the week of Dec. 10. Streamlining this process will enable security officers and employees to easily verify that a device is authorized for camera use.
At the same time, the authorization and identification processes used for taking photographs, recording video and live-video streaming on NNS property will change. Instead of the paper process currently used to become an authorized NNS camera-
Visit the Security and Emergency Management (O15) MyNNS website for additional information about this policy change or the Information Technology Services (T54) MyNNS website for information about the technology usage.
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Register for MLK Day Celebration by Dec. 12 Newport News Shipbuilding’s Inclusion & Diversity Council will host the third annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration during all three shifts on Jan. 18, 2019. The events are open to all employees by reservation only. All three sessions will be held in Bldg. 4930 to accommodate first, second and third shifts. The third shift session will be held from 6 until 6:30 a.m. with refreshments included. The first and second shift sessions will be from noon until 12:30 p.m. and from 8 until 8:30 p.m., respectively. Lunch will be provided for both sessions. Employees must register online using a company computer by Dec. 12. An immediate supervisor must register employees without computer access. For additional questions, contact Margaret Williams (O18) at 688-6931.
NNS Offering Fellowships for Transitioning Military Service Members Newport News Shipbuilding is partnering with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce's HIRE VETS NOW program to offer fellowships to eligible service members who have transferable skills and are motivated to find employment after the military. Service members must be at least 180 days prior to separation to be eligible. Selected candidates will work full-time at NNS for eight to 10 weeks from February until April 2019. Successful fellowships will lead to full-time employment at NNS. Fellowship opportunities are available in contracts and pricing, engineering, IT, production planning and scheduling, quality and supply chain. Shipbuilders are encouraged to direct service members who qualify for the program to www.buildyourcareer.com. Candidates may apply to requisition No. 27075BR in the "Professionals" portal. The deadline to apply is Jan. 5, 2019. For questions about the program, contact Sultan Camp (K21) at 688-0913.
Members of the Quality Control Leadership team recently set out to reinforce good safety habits. Photo by Ashley Cowan
Quality Control Leaders Reinforce Safety Members of the Quality Control leadership team recently visited shipbuilders working in and around the Modular Outfitting Facility (MOF) and the Supplemental Modular Outfitting Facility (SMOF) to help reinforce good safety habits. The team decided to come together for the walk after noticing some troubling safety trends across Newport News Shipbuilding. “If we want to see different results, we’ve got to try to do something different,” said Brandi Smith, director of Quality Control. “It’s not so much about the numbers, but it’s about keeping shipbuilders safe.” Smith and members of her leadership team split into small groups and handed out NNS swag items to shipbuilders they observed demonstrating safe behaviors or who correctly answered safety-related questions. “We often hear about employees being written up for many types of safety infractions. While I understand the importance of this, it’s also important to understand that to fundamentally change the safety culture of our employees we also have to recognize and reward good safety behaviors. This is the first safety walk through that I’ve been involved with that did just that,” said Glenn Grasso (O39), chief inspection supervisor. “I’m certain this event helped drive employee engagement and safe work practices.”
One City Marathon Registration and Volunteer Opportunities The fifth annual One City Marathon will be held on March 3, 2019. Newport News Shipbuilding is a proud sponsor, partnering with the city of Newport News. The marathon starts at Newport News Park on Constitution Way, and ends at the Newport News Victory Arch near West Avenue. After the marathon, the One City, One Celebration will take place at Victory Landing Park. Besides the marathon, runners can race in the Maritime 8K and Nautical Mile Fun Run. There is also the Marathon Relay, where teams of two to four runners can split the distance. Volunteers also are needed to manage water stations, help with packet pick up and cheer along the course. Visit www.onecitymarathon.com to sign up for races or volunteer opportunities.
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12 | 10 | 2018 The four apprentices, who all started their apprenticeships this year, each received a $500 scholarship that can be used for technology, school supplies, relocation expenses, and room and board. Wills-Browne, whose goal is to become a modeling and simulation engineer, said receiving the scholarship was a blessing. “It’s exciting,” he said. “It will help me pay for my education.” Brown, who hopes to become a quality control analyst, said the scholarship was an inspiration as she began her apprenticeship. “I’m thankful that they picked me. I normally don’t win things,” she said.
Pictured from left on the front row are Sharell Brown, Kari McVey, Darius Wills-Browne and Raekwon Jackson. Pictured in the back row are board members Danny Brookman, Bob Drury, Glen Davenport, Danny Hunley, Joe Sabol, Jim Cochran, Jack Ezzell and Vince Warren. Photo by Ashley Cowan
The Apprentice School Foundation Awards First Scholarships The inaugural group of apprentices to receive scholarships through The Apprentice School Foundation – Sharell Brown (X32), Raekwon Jackson (X11), Kari McVey (X32) and Darius Wills-Browne (X31) – were recognized during a ceremony at The Apprentice School. “These scholarships can have a big impact on new apprentices by giving them some financial aid as they start down the path to becoming Apprentice graduates,” said Joe Sabol, president of the foundation.
The Apprentice School Foundation was established to provide a tax-deductible opportunity for alumni, friends and community partners of The Apprentice School to help fund scholarships, historic preservation and community service projects that carry on the school’s legacy. The Foundation awards four $500 scholarships annually and is currently accepting applications for students who will begin their apprenticeships in 2019. In addition to scholarships, the foundation focuses on underrepresented and financially constrained youth in Hampton Roads by supporting organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Peninsula and Southside Virginia, the Achievable Dream Academy and the Apprentice School Students Association. The foundation also participates in community outreach through organizations such as the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. Visit www.tasfd.org to learn more, apply for a scholarship or donate.
Spear and Gear Toastmasters Named a Distinguished Club Newport News Shipbuilding’s Spear and Gear Toastmasters Club has been named a distinguished club by Toastmasters International. Distinguished clubs are noted for providing a supportive and positive learning environment to help guide members to success. “At Spear and Gear Toastmasters, our primary goal is to help each other become better speakers. Our club works to make each meeting productive, interesting and fun. We strive to maintain a friendly, nurturing and supportive environment,” said John Kraft (X44), president of Spear and Gear Toastmasters. Shipbuilders are invited to attend a Spear and Gear Toastmasters club meeting. The club meets from 4:30 until 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month in The Apprentice School (Room 247). “You will learn real world, transferable skills through our Pathways program that can be applied in your personal life as well as in the workplace or the marketplace. I encourage shipbuilders to find out what their path is today,” said Jamar Skyles (X44), the club’s vice president of Education.
Members of the Spear and Gear Toastmasters Club celebrate being named a distinguished club by Toastmasters International. Photo by Matt Hildreth
Spear and Gear Toastmasters also counts Distinguished Toastmaster awardees among its ranks. The Distinguished Toastmaster award recognizes a superior level of achievement in communication and leadership. “It’s personal and global. You become distinguished for yourself, but not by yourself,” said Distinguished Toastmaster Donna A. Graves (E92). For more information, visit the Spear and Gear Toastmasters website or contact Jason Paquette (E83) at 534-2770.
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AROUND THE YARD Shipbuilders Pass Leader Development Guide Review Board The Leader’s Development Guide (LDG) provides a framework for the growth and development of a newly promoted supervisor. Managers use the guide to coach and mentor supervisors in their new role. Once complete, supervisors and their managers sit before a review board. The board determines whether the supervisor understands and implements the practices and principles of the LDG. Pictured from left are First Tee Program Director Jessica Huss, Propeller Club Treasurer Willy Adams (O19), First Tee Executive Director Tom Carnevale and Propeller Club member Sarah Gentry (K45).
Propeller Club Supports the First Tee On Nov. 7, the Newport News Propeller Club made a donation to the First Tee of the Virginia Peninsula. The First Tee serves local youth ages 5-17. It is a collaboration between local area golf courses and the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA. This program provides an environment for youth to learn valuable life skills through playing the game of golf. Through its Life and Golf Skills classes, National School Program, and Outreach Program, more than 11,000 children throughout the Peninsula have been introduced to core values and life skills inherent to the game of golf.
NNS SAFETY REPORT
Compared to figures from November 2017 Year-to-Date Injuries
979 (up 13%) Year-to-Date Injuries with Days Away, Restricted or Transferred
711 (up 27%) Safety Improvements
1,468 (18% above goal)
The board is a culmination of 18 to 24 months of growth and development and is designed to ensure the supervisor understands and implements the practices and principles of a leader at Newport News Shipbuilding. Passing the board is not automatic. Security Lt. Tina Valentine (O15) did not pass the board on her first attempt but was determined to put in the extra work to become more knowledgeable of the leadership and management expectations in her role. “I was too nervous,” Valentine said of her first experience. She and her manager, Capt. Trent Sturgis, embraced the LDG principle of leadership development and talked daily about the job. “It’s important to pass the board and if you don’t get it the first time, continue to try. Giving up is not an option,” Valentine said. X18 General Foreman Matt O’Quinn missed the opportunity to come before the
Pictured seated from left are Matthew O’Quinn (M30), Tina Valentine (O15) and Steve McGrew (O22/M53). Pictured standing from left are Corey Carden (K45/ X42), Darren Beech (K45/X43), Jared Belcher (K45/ X32), Kashif Carter (O48) and Scott Marois (K45/ X43). Photo by Ashley Cowan
LDG board while he was still a foreman. However, he felt this was important in order to set the example for the three foremen now on his team. So, with help from his mentor, O’Quinn completed the requirements of LDG and acquired the necessary signatures to come before the board. “I am setting an example, modeling the way for my team because I want them to be successful when it comes time for them to sit before the board,” he said. Learn more about the LDG program on MyNNS. Contact Danny Engle (O25) at 380-7483 for more information about LDG or any of the New Leader Experience: Leaders Development Guide products.
Leave of Absence Reminder for Military Service The Leave of Absence Administration Department (K24) thanks all veterans for their service. Many shipbuilders are still serving in some capacity. Salaried employees should first refer to Corporate Procedure CO H402C for voluntary military and military mobilization leave of absence requests and time off requests for military training. They should then contact the Leave of Absence Administration. Hourly employees should contact their Labor Relations representative for military training, reserve duty or guard duty. Hourly employees who are being mobilized or deployed should contact the Leave of Absence Administration. Email LeaveofAbsence@hii-nns.com or call 688-3800 to contact the Leave of Absence Administration.
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DATEBOOK All pop-ups will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m.
DECEMBER 10-14
Newport News Shipbuilding will undergo a NAVSEA 08 Security Evaluation Dec. 10-14. Representatives from NAVSEA Security and Naval Reactors (SEA 08) will assess NNS’ ability to process and safeguard classified and unclassified Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPI) in accordance with contractual requirements. The audit will include a comprehensive review of the Classified Information Systems, Cyber Security, Industrial Security and Physical Security programs. To learn more, visit the MyNNS page. For more information, contact John Forlow (O15) at 688-0583.
Tuesday, December 11 .......................The Main North Yard Gate Thursday, December 13 ............... Between the MOF and SMOF Monday, December 17 ........................................................... Pier 3 Wednesday, December 19 ......................Outside of Building 520 Only credit cards will be accepted as a method of payment. No cash.
NNS Celebrates Master Shipbuilders CONTINUED FROM PG 1
DECEMBER 10
The L.E.A.R.N. Program will host an after-work presentation with Mike Petters, CEO and president of HII, from 4:30 until 6 p.m. in the VASCIC auditorium. The event is open to all employees by reservation only. Sign-up on the L.E.A.R.N. SharePoint site. For questions, contact Tanika Vasquez (E08) at 688-7916 or Helen Dennie (O28) at 380-4831 or email LEARN@hii-nns.com.
JANUARY 8
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) is hosting a dinner meeting with speaker Charles Southall, vice president of Engineering and Design, from 6 until 8:30 p.m. at the Hampton Yacht Club. All are welcome. For more information or to RSVP, contact Kevin Bowe (E42) at 688-7728 or via email.
RIDESHARE RESOURCES
As a reminder, Commute With Enterprise, formerly Enterprise Rideshare, is available to provide rideshare services for Newport News Shipbuilding employees. Employees can form their own rideshare or Enterprise can assist with matching employees to a group. Preferred parking in NNS group rider lots will be designated for these vehicles.Visit nns.huntingtoningalls.com/parking-transportation for more information.
...Master Shipbuilder Recognition Ceremony. “You get a chance to see people you haven’t seen in years – some of them you started out with way back in the 70s,” he said. “You get to fellowship and have a good time. It shows that the company cares.” Angela Winnegan (O46) said she was “overjoyed” to celebrate her second year as a Master Shipbuilder. “It’s a great milestone to stay on any job for 41 years, and the shipyard is truly a blessing to me and my family,” she said. During the ceremony, Boykin encouraged Master Shipbuilders to continue to learn and pay forward their knowledge to newer shipbuilders. It’s advice new Master Shipbuilder Mark Noble (T53) takes to heart. “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in my 40 years. Now, I’m at a point in my life where I want to pass it along to the millennials and other new shipbuilders we’re hiring now. I enjoy seeing them learn,” he said. Estelle Fonville (OO4) delivered the invocation at the ceremony, and Perry Bell (E68) modeled the Master Shipbuilder jacket that each member of the Class of 1978 received. Watch a highlights video of the ceremony or watch the 1978 Master Shipbuilder video that was shown during the event on MyNNS.
SEEKING SHIPBUILDERS
Visit www.buildyourcareer.com to search for the latest NNS job openings.
Job Title
Req Number
Dept.
Location
Experienced Blaster Entry-Level Structural Welder Experienced Structural Welder Designer 1 Designer 3 IT Software Engineer 2 IT Software Engineer 3 IT Software Engineer 4 IT Software Engineer 5 IT Systems Engineer 2 IT Systems Engineer 4 International Trade Compliance Manager 2 Manager, IT Systems Engineer 3 (Head Digital Technology) Managing Director – International (Subsidiary Programs) Engineer Electrical 3
26320BR 26842BR 27147BR 21086BR 25607BR 26392BR 25373BR 25376BR 25377BR 25595BR 26287BR 27325BR 24609BR 25732BR 27446BR
X33 X18 X18 TBD E16 T55 T55 T55 T55 T55 T55 N365 T53 N211 X91
Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Newport News Ballston Spa, NY
Employees are encouraged to use the “Current HII Employees” portal to apply. The company continues to offer cash bonus awards for referrals to select positions, visit www.huntingtoningalls.com/careers/refer-a-friend for more information.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL NEW MASTER SHIPBUILDER INDUCTEES: Marvin L. Adams Neil M. Addesso Michael Allen Don D. Alston Mark D. Anderson Clarence W. Bailey Wayne W. Barlow John D. Barrett Rodney L. Bays Timothy L. Bean Aaron L. Beckett Terry R. Beckett Perry N. Bell William C. Black Robert A. Bolden Philip D. Bourne Nelson A. Brantley Stewart R. Brenegar Marjie N. Brown Robert L. Brown William P. Brown David C. Brownell Ritamary C. Bruce Karen L. Byrd Thomas M. Carlough Johnny N. Chappell Barbara A. Chavis Mark A. Christian James R. Cochran Bryan W. Cole James P. Connolly Wesley M. Copling Barbara W. Crawley Michael K. Crews Ronald D. Croswell Ernest H. Crutchfield
William E. Cundiff III Dale R. Curtiss Carl W. Curzio Larry D. Darden Clyde R. Davis Jr. Jackie C. Dotson Warren L. Doyle Lester K. Dudney Paula F. Duke Kenneth L. Edwards Pamela M. Eley Lianne S. Elliott Kenneth D. Evanson Alfreda L. Fleetwood Estelle N. Fonville William R. Fralich Terence O. Gatling Mark A. Goodwin Richard L. Griffin Phillip E. Gross Steven P. Gurvich Kenneth A. Hall Steven D. Hare Gregory H. Harju Terry L. Harless Linda L. Harris Richard B. Harris Alan D. Harvey Bessiegaye Hash Lonnie L. Heckstall Herbert C. Heil Michael P. Henderson Gary B. Herring Glenn T. Hicks William E. Hilbmann Herman O. Holley
Ronald D. Huggett Terry M. Hulett John E. Hunt Jr. Louis E. Jenkins Glenn E. Jones Steven C. Jones Archiebald Jordan Sarah C. Jordan Claire E. Kimmel Louis L. King Kevin N. Knight Ricky J. Lamb James A. Lattimore Curtis E. Leggett Raymond Lewis Gaynelle K. Love Carlton L. Luster Paul J. Mackinnon Rudolph Mason William H. McCalley Philip C. McCoy Kenneth W. Mobley Michael A. Moonis Daniel G. Newman David E. Nisbet Mark E. Noble Charles R. Noland Robert E. O’Brien Lawrence R. O’Connell David E. Outland Richard J. Paquette David A. Payton David A. Perron Michael H. Peters Allen R. Pierce Robert E. Powell
William D. Powers James A. Pugh Daniel P. Rhodes Verleta R. Richardson William R. Roy Wayne L. Rudd Karl W. Ruhlin Kevin T. Salnoske Michael L. Scarberry Timothy A. Sexton Henderson L. Sisco Mark A. Slayton Mark E. Smelser Richard M. Snow Betty L. Sobotka Jonathan Spielberger Carolyn D. Stokes Reginald A. Sykes Thomas L. Timberlake Paul D. Toupin William W. Trevathan Jeffery A. Tucker Marvin L. Tucker Robbin C. Vines Louise H. Wagner Rolax Walton Larry N. Washington Jeffrey G. Wells Herbert O. West Linda P. West Roscoe S. White Elwood A. Whitley Alvin J. Whitlow Butch Wilkins James R. Wilson Randy W. Winn